For Better or Worse
by UnholyHelbig
Summary: When Beca's best friend proposes to the love of his life, he asks her to be his "Best Man" Everything is going fine until the brides Maid of Honor makes an appearance. The two butt heads while they try to plan a wedding for the people they care about the most- without letting on to the fact that they hate each other.
1. Chapter 1

_**THE THICK**_ _boroughs of black smoke clung to the ceiling, it's white color overwhelmed with the darkness that soon engulfed most of the room. The paneling that was so expertly handcrafted and forged was now charred with orange flames, the heat licking at the edge of every aspect this place had to offer._

 _The coughing seemed almost instant, rough and warm against the back of my throat as sweat began to bead against my skin. It soaked through the shirt I was wearing, wicking into the fabric and staining it like the soot that was already so strong. It was biting, it was incessant._

 _"Addy!" I tried to manage, taking in a gulp of smoke in the process, water pressing into my eyes as I blinked as much as I could. I had read about this,_ seen _the instructional videos. You were supposed to stay low to the ground- keeping your elbow over your mouth to filter out some of the toxic air. The same was to be said about sneezing during flu season. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."_

 _Speaking didn't really help in my case, my knees sore as I hit the carpeted ground. The very living room that was covered in children's toys from the latest Pixar film now smelled of burnt plastic and a campfire_ gone _wrong. Everything used to be so pristine, so clean and sorted. Now it all crumpled under the mercy of flames._

 _The sweeping edge of a fluorescent light cutting across embers caught my attention. It highlighted the smoke, making it look less menacing and more like a high school girl lighting up below a cracked window. It was sinister though. Painful._

 _"Fire Department, call out!" A husky voice pressed against my ears. "Call Out!"_

 _"Help," I spoke quietly at first, the pain ripping through my throat, a wolf had its saliva coated jowls at my jugular. "Help! Over here!"_

The air pooled in my lungs, it's cooling effect clawing at my throat as the sweat that had soaked so easily through my clothes caught the downside of the breeze. It seemed to dry almost instantly, making me feel stiff. Making the deep fog that coated the high seas look thin and withered.

"Bec's you okay?" The boy to my right spoke. I hadn't noticed the hand that was resting lazily on my jacketed shoulder. He had his back pressed against the warning bar, his free hand strung over a bent knee. He wasn't dressed for the weather, a tight black t-shirt hugging his frame. "You were talking in your sleep."

"Was I?" I knew the answer already. The nightmares had a cruel effect. It was like my brain couldn't quite forget the worst moment of my life. I usually didn't make it to the rescue before the flames ate away at the structure of the house. The family house that I spent the first 18 years of my life in.

A brown paper bag rested between the two of us, my back close to the deck of the Poseidon. It was such a brave and daring name for something that was fished out of the bottom of the ocean. The gaping hole in the side had been patched up, but the same wasn't to be said for the top tier of the little fishing boat. The mayor had given us an ulterior motive. We could keep running our little towing company out of the abandoned shelling factory on the water in exchange for restoring a national treasure that would put us on the map.

There was a thick haze that shrouded the bulk of the boat. It's rough cover breaking away enough for me to see in front of my face- but that was about it. I would usually expect a lot of calls cutting through the air. Jesse clenched his jaw and startled to unwrap the bag. It would loud compared to the silence of the sea, though Jesse didn't seem to care. He had a goofy stare on his face, knowing enough not to question me after I woke up with such a start.

"So did you guys get a chance to bond last night?" Jesse said plainly, trying to change the subject. It moved my heart into my throat as I lifted my head quickly, afraid to break my neck. The obvious shift in conversation enough to help me forget the memories that plagued my every waking moment.

"Game night?" I asked, knitting my eyebrows together. "It was fine. Aubrey went beast mode and destroyed the monopoly board?"

"You provoked her, I'm sure."

"She looked like the hulk." I adjusted my position on the deck, folding my legs underneath me. "I swallowed that little metal top hat."

Jesse laughed loudly, it was a hearty one that echoed. I could recognize it from across the room. The two of us splitting sandwiches since kindergarten. We had always gotten each other, no problem too big for us to handle together. Aubrey had entered Jesse's life almost a year ago. The two of us having a strained, but strong relationship. Jesse was convinced that we needed to work past non-existent tension.

"I just want you two to get along before the wedding." He admitted, peeling plastic wrap away from the peanut butter and jelly he had half-heartedly made this morning. He tore through the wonder bread, it's white exterior cracking under his touch as he passed off half to me.

"We do get along," I stated, sinking my teeth into the sandwich "I promise you, there is nothing to worry about. The two of us are fine. Great actually."

From the beginning, I had a feeling that Aubrey wasn't too fond of me, but it had never really taken a backseat until Jesse got down on one knee and produced a ring that was twice as much as our current salary. From then on, Aubrey didn't really have a feeling that Jesse and I had some behind the scenes relationship going on. He was 100% committed to his girl- and for the longest time, I was committed to my family.

Now I was committed to the sea- as terrible as it sounds. It was the furthest away from any type of flames that I could get. The island, it didn't' have much of a beach, nothing but a few jaded rocks and a sweeping lighthouse- but it was home for me now. I often fell asleep at the offices, taking little solace in getting any rest when I was buried deep in the wood structure we called home now.

My father had left this business behind, Jesse's own family more than reluctant to sign the contracts and move to some vacation spot with more sun and less unpredictable lightning storms. I found comfort in those too- the rain a form of water dulling one of electricity.

"I just don't want any trouble." He sounded out carefully, mouth full of bread. He was trying to make it sound as little as possible. "I know how you get."

"Oh yeah?" I lifted an eyebrow dutifully "And how is that Mr. Swanson? Defensive?"

"Along those lines, yes," He threw his arms up in exasperation. "Remember our high school graduation? You thought Mr. Weil was discriminating against your size and you kicked him in the kneecap."

A certain heat rose to my cheeks. There was more to the story than that, he was constantly condescending, making awful comments about the girls in our class. No one would do anything because it never escalated, and the school district was small enough to have only one History teacher. They couldn't afford to lose the old geezer. "I had nothing to lose."

"Yeah, well I do," Jesse chuckled, shaking his head. "I want both of my favorite girls to be okay with each other, okay? No thrown cake or bashed in body parts."

"You have my word," I reiterated, wiping my palm on the grease-stained jeans that I had been wearing out for the past couple of months. I tried washing them- but they would get dirtied again the next day at work. By the time the sun set, they were tattered just like my sense of accomplishment and nerves.

I held my hand out to him, the boy eyeing it like I had thrown a kitten off the starboard. "What, do you want me to spit in it, or something?"

"No, God no" He laughed loudly, placing his palm on mine as she squeezed my hand. It was a warm and kind embrace. I didn't need this reassurance, I already knew I wouldn't mess this up. Not for him. The only person who had ever stuck with me through it all. He loved Aubrey, and in time, I would grow to find a way to.

 **The deep golden** light slowly flickered off with a distant buzzing, keys heavy handed in my grasp as I finally got a chance to shut the large metal door to the shop. It creaked and groaned, just like it did every night. I tried my hardest to keep it quiet- knowing that those daring enough to live in the bottom of their boats wouldn't take too kindly to the noise.

The spaced out overhead lights were enough to illuminate the finally fogless night- a cool breeze from the crashing waves burning my throat as I threw my bag over my shoulder. The paperwork weighted it down, but it was someone more calming than staying here in an empty warehouse resting on the water.

Part of me craved a good bottle of ale, the other knowing that I had to get across town in the next fifteen minutes to pick Addison up from her sitter. Stacie was calm headed and often would bend the rules of her at home daycare just to work with me. I owed her a lot more than I could afford to give her.

My footfalls echoed against the uneven deck, splintered wood reminding me of how clean it used to be when I was younger. The storms had weathered it down, damaging the structure but not the point where the many fishermen and vendors didn't use it religiously.

There were a few restaurants, ones that got more local traffic than anything. The inhabitants were a mix of jet-ski rentals and old fishermen who would lounge in front of their vessels. No matter how much that was out at sea, they still missed it- craved it to the point of enjoying a few beers just camped out under the twinkle lights they had strung.

"Heading out for the night, Beca?" The gruff voice of John filled my ears. Up until a few years ago, he was a prominent man- owning more land for his own good. He was never knocked down from his pedestal, instead, he traded it all into retirement with a white and blue cooler and lawn chairs. He was always out here, admiring the stars when the night sky allowed it.

"Yes sir," I responded with a smile, holding up my hand in refusal when he lifted an amber colored bottle to me. On any given day I would say yes, but I didn't have much of it in me tonight. I had pushed my time in the shop. "No thanks, I still have to pick Addy up-"

I was cut off by an ungodly scraping sound, one that was unnatural as it cut through the night air. I squinted, turning slightly towards the end of the dock. There was an inky figure slowly pulling a bag behind her. Her frame was tall, lanky at most. I couldn't see much- the ferry that brought her in still shining its bright lights. I had never known for the ship to drop off people this late- but no one was ever intentionally trying to make it to Haven.

"Hmm," I mumbled absently, curious as I tilted my head to try and get a better look.

The mysterious stranger suddenly lost her balance, her noisy heels getting caught in a groove of wood. A long crack made its way through the air as those very shoes snapped under the weight. I drew in a sharp breath, raising my fingers to my lips as I stifled a sound.

"Good Lord," John spoke softly "That girl just ate shit."

I gave him an odd and jarring look before gathering my nerves and trotting the good distance between me and the woman. She was leaning back on her bare feet, staring down at the broken shoes as a deep crimson moved past her lacerated palms. She was wearing a tight-fitting skirt, a similar navy blazer over a half-untucked white shirt. The girl's hair was in a messy bun- deep red locks falling into hard cobalt eyes. They reminded me of the ocean. They were angry though, like the clouds that formed right above it.

"Are you alright?" I asked, trying to stifle a chuckle as I outstretched my hand.

"Do I look like I'm alright?" She snapped, blowing the air out of her gaze. She sniffed, trying to shake the stinging from her hands. Her voice was silky and damaged at the same time. It was alluring, in a way. She looked way too professional- even in her tattered state.

"Well no, Ma'am." I sounded out easily "That's why I'm offering to help you up if you'd let me."

She let out a groan and swatted my hand away, using her suitcase to help her up instead. She let out a small huff as she attempted to straighten out her clothes. She turned a blind eye and started walking towards the end of the dock. I scratched the back of my neck apprehensively, shrugging my shoulders as I started to walk after her.

We walked in silence for a few seconds before she let out another huff that pushed through the cold air. She stopped quickly, her shoulder finding a way to my chest as I inhaled quickly, bouncing back. "Are you following me?" She griped as she whipped around.

I took a step back, holding my hands up in defense. "Uh, no. The dock only goes one way and I don't plan on taking a long walk off a short pier."

She lowered her shoulders a bit, not as defensive. In a way, she was scrutinizing me, trying to find something out that I'm sure I couldn't place my finger on. I looked like a mess- my white t-shirt coated in dirt and oil. A dark red flannel was hanging lazily from my sides. One sleeve was falling down as I pushed it up towards my elbow slightly.

"Oh," She spoke a bit softly, letting out a shaky breath before walking back towards the entrance. A large iron sign that read Willow Point its letters having been crafted from the very boat that Jesse and I were fixing up. "Do you know Aubrey Posen?"

The question took me off guard. I wasn't even sure if this girl would allow me to follow her around like a lost puppy- even though I knew exactly where I was going. She was intimidating, enough to make goosebumps raise on my skin as I scratched lightly at my collar.

"I do, actually." I sounded out. "She runs something borrowed right in the center of town."

The girl let out a light grumble as the two of us walked onto the gravel, she had her broken shoes in her hands, grimacing as the pebbles dug into her feet. I didn't say anything though, not about that. "You're not going to take a cab, are you?"

"I was planning on it." She turned to face me again, the color of the moon shading her face in an almost angelic way. "Why?"

"Well, the girl who runs the only cab in town is hammered at this point in the night, so… if you would let me, I can drive you."

"You're a stranger."

"You're not walking." I stood my ground. "It's about five miles to get back into town, and it's about to start raining… again."

She glanced towards the only truck in the parking lot. It was mine- the paint a rusty red- but it had a working engine and an air conditioner. The thought of riding around town during the summer with leather seats adhered to my back made me cringe.

"What kind of a town is this?" She sighed, pressing her fingers to her hairline.

"It's Haven," I laughed slightly "Entirely shitty, but the people aren't so bad."


	2. Chapter 2

**A soft purring** from the engine was the only sound between the two of us. The stranger's breath was low as she gazed out the window. Every once and a while the yellow edge of passing headlights would sweep over the cab of the truck.

I had haphazardly thrown all the empty water bottles and candy wrappers into the backseat- all while she watched with a certain bit of entitlement in her gaze. Her hair was still falling into that stormy gaze of hers, jaw clenched as she breathed in carefully. Her fingers were wrapped around the dashboard as she steadied herself from the shaking leather seats. I would glance over every now and then, sometimes making an electrifying contact with hers.

I was silent, adjusting my grip on the leather wheel as a few drops of rain rushed against the double paned glass. It was blue near the edge of the seam, dirty from a couple weeks of not washing. It stormed too much here- I didn't ever need to whip out a bucket and some soap. There was enough grime during the summer to warrant one, though.

"So, what brings you to Haven?" I asked, voice a bit tight as my stare averted to hers for a moment before I focused back on the road. "Other than a second-hand bookstore…"

She let out a thick sigh, one that filled the car as I cocked an eyebrow slightly, not bothering to send my attention that way. She ran her hand through her coarse hair. The edge of her blazer was pulling up slightly at her waistline. "Listen, I appreciate the ride and everything, but I'm not much for small talk."

"Then what are you _much for?"_ I asked with a slight scoff. "Picking out sensible outfits is clearly not it."

I turned slightly onto the side street, it leads to town- a large stretch of trees and one-off rivers wound through the bark that was aged and peeling. The scent of wet soil always filled my lungs around this moment. It was nothing to be put off about- there were worse things to smell, and better things to experience.

"I'm sorry?" She asked, offense laced in her voice as she turned slightly in her seat. "And being ratty lumberjack is a better sense of style?"

"Better than an uptight flight attendant," I mumbled under my breath. I knew she could hear me, there were only two of us here, a red glow from a traffic light in the middle of town shaded her face. It stretched her features and contorted them- like we were in a vape shop, or maybe even a one-off club. I had a deep smirk on my lips, knowing that I was riling her up as her mouth gaped open. "Or a realtor."

"I have you know, I am one of the top sellers in my region." She pointed a well-painted finger my way. I lifted my chin, a bit impressed. I didn't realize that I was right on the nose with the second guess there. It didn't' quite explain what she was doing in our little town. She was too interesting to sell the old and rickety house at the end of the block.

"Well congratulations, Red." I blew air from my nose. "That's very impressive."

"Was that sarcasm?" She scrunched her face up "Fish… person."

"Fish person?" I laughed, the smile still fresh on my features. "No, that wasn't sarcasm. That was a genuine compliment."

The rain was falling in sheets now, the wipers rushing back and forth as run-off rushed against the side of the rough glass. Another set of dark headlights rushed past the two of us. She was silent, just listening to the dull soundtrack of the engine mingling with the rainfall.

"Well," She squared her shoulders, sinking into the leather seat, those same jarring eyes softening a bit. "Thank you."

 **Fabric from a** soft pea coat pressed against the nave of my back, it's stitching soaked as my breath stopped pooling in front of me. The weather in Haven was privy to change, it's once humid morning would turn to cold and weary nights. Ones that kept me at bay when all I wanted to do was curl up and watch cheesy love flicks.

The girl that had just stormed out of my car was still on my mind. I didn't know why- there was no reason. She was stuck up, smelling of fancy soap. Her collar was pressed with a hot iron, no wrinkles or flaws other than a bit of blood from the gashes on her hands.

I hated her. The way she seemed to turn her nose up at anyone who was less than her. I just didn't know if it was breed or learned. Either way, it made my blood boil. The realtor was someone who knew Aubrey, apparently, and that was enough cause for curiosity.

"I am so sorry I'm late," I started to pull the fleece scarf away from my throat. It was sopping wet, my hair damp as I swallowed roughly. "How is she?"

The girl that stood in front of me raked a hand through her hair- her white shirt stained with different things that I hoped was baby food. The rest of the daycare was empty, the lobby lit with a deep yellow glow as a blue one fused from a film that was playing in the other room. A musical sequence was bouncing off the walls.

"Bec's you know I love you-"Stacie sounded out carefully, lifting her sore arms behind her head as she pulled the black hairband from her wrist. She seemed to do it with ease, tying the ponytail up as she lifted her chin slightly. "And I really don't mind covering for you with my grandmother, but things got close tonight."

"I know, I'm sorry." I willed "There was some girl at the docks, she needed help- and… you know what, it doesn't matter. Just… thank you. I promise I'll make this up to you."

"You better," She shoved my shoulder playfully, a dumb grin on her lips. "I don't know how many times I can convince Grandma that I love Aladdin enough to rent the sing-along a few times a week."

I scoffed, squeezing the bridge of my nose slightly. Stacie had been a life-saver these past few months. Addison was old enough to take care of herself, I knew she was. But it had been a rough year for everyone around town. I would never leave her alone, not like my mother used to do during long and taxing nights.

The six-year-old clung heavily to the door-frame, her eyes sleepy as she watched the two of us interact. She had a dazed look in her eyes- the very eyes that mimicked my dad's. They were wise and caring, a deep chocolate brown that could melt your resolve.

Stacie handed me her coat as I knelt down, giving her a kind smile. "Hey, Addy,"

She smiled back, it was a cute an innocent gesture, her hands at her sides as I pulled her coat over her shoulders. She watched me in a careful silence as I zipped it up, fishing in her pockets for the gloves that I had to replace every couple of months. These were on their final leg- I was surprised she hadn't lost them already.

The quiet was something I was used to. At first, we thought it was shocking. I didn't want to speak after the fire either. Not for a long and crippling time. But after a couple of months, the stress of planning two funerals died down and the worry for my little sister kicked in. We had called speech therapists, had the long skype calls with specialists. Nothing changed. They said she would talk when she was ready.

I shouldn't push it. I didn't' push it.

"Alright munchkin," pulled on her collar, making sure that it was nice and fastened. It was. The pain of the day hit my muscles as I stood, keeping my hand outreached to her as she wrapped her fingers around mine. She was warm, the gloves scratchy, but bearable. "We gotta get some dinner in you."

Stacie nodded softly as she made eye contact with the mousy-haired girl that clung to my side. "I'll see you tomorrow, Addison."

She nodded, sniffing at the cold that was biting at all of us. I mouthed another thank you before walking towards the car. At one point, my kid sister was dragging me behind her. I laughed slightly, letting her do it as she crawled into the backseat of my truck- crunching over the water bottles and paper bags. She gave me an odd look as I started the car. I shrugged my shoulders.

"I'm a mess, Add's, we know this."

She giggled, the only sound I ever got a chance to hear from her, aside from crying. It was two opposite ends of the spectrum, but I loved her through every inch of it. The custody battle was a rough and unrelenting one- but at this point, I didn't care. I knew I would die for her.

"So," I looked into my mirror as I started the car. "I was thinking, we could have Amy whip us up some of her famous grilled cheeses."

The little girl in the backseat lit up, lifting her shoulders as she drew in a breath. I narrowed my eyes with a sly smirk. Again, she said nothing, but I knew the different signs, the way to read her like no one else. "Oh, right, so that's a no then? You want fish sticks again?"

She knit her eyebrows together in disdain as I chuckled, putting the car in drive. "Alright then, grilled cheese it is."

[A/N: I would say this is a filler chapter but it's not, I have to bring some backstory!]


	3. Chapter 3

**The amber alcohol** slid down my throat, it's burning effect utterly lost on me. The local brew used to feel as if I was chugging gasoline. Every beer did. People would gripe and tell me that I would get used to the taste, but I never knew if I really wanted to. It wasn't until after some of the edge from a long day's work would melt off, that I would truly understand the appeal.

Amy's place was always packed, the muffled sounds of whatever football game was going on seemed to fade out as Jesse and I would spend our nights talking about what had to get done, and what we were too lazy to do. It was fun and cooling- at least it was until the fire. Now we just cherished the absolute silence that came with sharing a few with the owner watching us carefully.

"I'm telling you," I spoke freely into my bottle before lowering it down to the glossy table. "This girl was a real bitch."

"So you've said," Jesse chuckled dutifully. "What's got you so riled up about her anyway, Becs?"

I couldn't really explain it. The natural redhead left a strong impression on me. I couldn't' quite tell if it was a positive or negative one- but either way, I hated how my mind drifted back to her after a few moments of pure silence. Her smug little expression was all I could focus on today while working on the finish for part of that sea god taken down, the Poseidon.

"Mm," I swallowed the sour taste in my mouth. "She was just so… pretentious? I don't know the word for it. But it was like giving her a hand was going out of my way and she still refused to acknowledge that."

Amy laughed, the sound almost as contagious as a bad case of the flu. It forced a smile against my disdained features as she leaned heavily on the counter, her beach blonde hair falling into a soulful gaze. I had never really understood how she decided to settle on the little island of Haven. The pictures of her travels littered the walls- and even the alligator wrestling in the middle of a Louisiana swamp seemed like a better alternative than a fishing town bar.

"You've got a little too much spirit, mouse."

"Mouse?" I scoffed, puffing out my chest at the little nickname. "Please. I am mighty."

"For a mouse." Jesse stifled a laugh.

I let out a breath as she shook my head, the smile still on my lips. I was used to my friends poking fun at my stature, or my dissociative tactics, but again, my mind wondered to how little I would put up with if the new stranger in town tried her hand. "When is your fiancé getting here, anyway?"

"Soon," my counterpart shook his head, "You are very impatient today, Mitchell."

"My impatience is not limited to a 24-hour mark, Swanson." I shot back.

He scoffed again, eyes darting towards the door as the bell rang for the fifth time since was sat down. This occurrence, however, was marked with the very puppy-dog stare he got in his eyes every time Aubrey entered a room. He lit up, my focus not faltering from the beer in front of me as I rose it to my lips- knowing the angry blonde would catch my attention at some point.

"Bree," the boy to my right stood with a goofy grin on his face. "And you must be, Chloe."

I cocked an eyebrow, swiveling slightly in my chair to face the woman that I just made such an effort to get along with. To her right was the little demon that sat in my passenger seat the other night- her hair was down now, curly and flowing over a nicely pressed button-down rolled up to her elbows. She had exiled the pristine blazer, it seemed, for a look of pure confusion and anger. Still, those eyes were stormy and magnificent all at once. It made me stifle a shiver.

I choked. Not on my words, but on the beer that now slid past my chin and soaked into the t-shirt that I was wearing. The frothy mess was enough to get me to cough a few times, the blonde in front of me giving a concerned glace. One I hadn't seen her pull in ages, or at all. Not like when I took a nasty tumble off the docks when her and Jesse first started going out.

Jesse's hand patted me roughly on the back as he swallowed a chuckle, he didn't mention it. "I've heard so much about you."

I sniffled, quickly wiping away the alcohol that rushed across my skin in exchange for a burning feeling in my chest. It was like the time Ashley had made me laugh so hard milk came out of my nose. It was middle school- and that was still considered gross, but to us, it was hilarious. It made Jesse sick to his stomach, though.

"All good things I hope."

God, that voice. That voice was so degrading with just a hint of hoarse mystery. It was biting at the edges of my mind, making goosebumps raise against cold skin. "Chloe, this is Beca. She's my best man."

"Oh?" The ginger perked up a bit, "Beca and I have actually met already. Isn't that right?"

"Yes," I hissed through gritted teeth, earning a strange stare from the woman behind the counter. Amy was trying her best to keep a straight face through all of this, her eyebrows raised in confusion. "I mean, yeah. It's nice to see you again. I'm glad you got home safely last night."

"Ah, you're the stranger with the beat-up truck," Aubrey put two and two together, the smile not faltering on her face. "Well, I'm glad you two got a chance to meet. You'll be working together quite a bit."

I had figured we would be. Aubrey mentioned something about her maid of honor coming in from the city. I had just hoped the woman had more sense than to take a ferry in the middle of a fog plagued night. A cold night that was filled with rain and discontent. Clearly, that was asking too much.

Part of me was still on the fence about this whole "Best Man" thing. Of course, I always wanted to be there for Jess. He's practically my brother. The man spent nights at a time patching up old wounds and changing out bandages from where the fire had gotten a little too close.

"Chloe is actually looking for a place in town," Aubrey spoke up, lifting her head towards Amy as the woman took the hint. She knew exactly what the girl liked. A bourbon straight. The golden liquid filled the crystal glass quickly as I lifted my chin.

"Really?" Jesse smiled even wider "That's great! Aubrey tells me that you're an aspiring writer? This place is great to just get away from it all. To clear your head."

"That's exactly what I was thinking." Chloe beamed, genuine being a new shade on her that I didn't' expect. "Plus it wouldn't hurt to find a good place for a bridal shower."

"Oh Chlo," Aubrey interjected, "You don't have to do that, it seems like so much work."

"Not with Beca's help, it won't be." She darted her gaze towards me. I was never much of a party person. Some part of me knew that Chloe was pushing my buttons. One part of the game I had to play as a best man was not having to deal with a huge party. I could throw together a couple of pizza's, beer, and maybe even a stripper for Jesse's last day as a free man- but that was as far as I was willing to go.

"For sure!" I smiled, playing it up a bit. "I would love to help out. It's no problem at all."

"Beca," Aubrey sounded out carefully "Don't take this the wrong way, but did your little stunt back there keep the oxygen from getting to your brain?"

Even she knew this was out of character for me.

"Of course not," I scoffed, shaking my head as the buzz from the drinks I had consumed earlier seemed to come to a cruel and unwavering stop. "I just want to make sure you have the best time of your life."

 **I pressed my** hands roughly against the edge of the marble sink. The bar had grown crowded as the night went on, the more we drank, the harder it became to bite my tongue when it came to whatever Chloe was saying. I needed time to think- time to breathe.

Despite being the cleanest bathroom in town, no one came in here unless they had too much to drink and the greasy food they had consumed before hand was threatening to make another appearance. The tropical scent of foam hand soap filled my lungs as I haphazardly flicked on the cool water.

I soaked my hand and ran it roughly down my face, the relief instant against my heat risen cheeks. My heart was pounding in my ears. All of this was unexplainable to me. Chloe was a pretentious bitch. That's all I could gather- but she got under my skin in ways that I couldn't quite explain. I didn't know if I wanted to break her nose, or just walk away with what little dignity I had left.

The off-handed comments about how life in a small town seemed easy and quaint, the simple way of doing things, weren't originally directed towards me. Or at least I didn't think they were. But then those icy pupils found mine as that highly awarded smirk pressed against her features. It was meant as an insult, but I refused to take it as one.

My deep gaze flashed to my right as the door to the restroom squeaked open, my stomach dropping as my fingers curled deeper into the marble, my knuckles turning a stark white as I finally faced towards the sound. Chloe. I thought I saw a flash of worry before those hard eyes switched back to their default settings. She cocked her head to the side and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You okay? The crowd a little much?" It wasn't an innocent question. It was undermining and crude.

I stood up straight, letting out a small scoff. "What is your problem, Beale? I have been nothing but nice to you."

"My problem?" She purred, stepping closer as her black heels made an odd sound against the tiled floor. She was already tall enough without their aide, her alpha side sparking through as the rough scent of lemon mixed with the very soap that Amy had stocked the bathroom with. "I feel like the simple answer is you and your slacker attitude."

"My _what?_ "

"You heard me," She hissed, breath hot and overwhelming against my collarbone. I stared up at her, fire in my gaze. Anger. "I've known Aubrey since kindergarten. She's the most important person in my life and I'm not going to let you stand around and ruin the happiest day of hers with your procrastination."

"Oh, so you've got me all figured out, huh?" I asked, more amused than offended. She nodded briskly.

"I've dealt with people like you my whole entire career. You think that life will just work itself out because you want it to. But it won't. I'm not letting some player with a height problem muck up this wedding."

I stared at her for a bit, the way her own eyes scanned my face for any evidence of an emotion was demeaning. I didn't really have one to give her. She had come out of nowhere with all this assumed information. I didn't know how to process it- my mind racing as I clenched my jaw until it ached.

Eventually, I stepped back, it was a simple enough gesture, my fingers finding the leather jacket that I had placed on the sink moments earlier. "Right, so when do you want to get together to plan this Bridal shower, Chloe?"

I was calm in my words. I had been conditioned for this. After the fire, I had to deal with a sea of lawyers who wanted nothing more than to demand that I show some ounce of anger towards their slimy ways. I had one outburst in court. One. And a prompt talking to from my attorney brought me to settle. That and a night in the sheriff's station.

I learned how to control it all, not be as impulsive and think about what's better for myself than feeding the anger. Chloe probably expected me to react in some way, but even with the slight buzz from a few too many, I didn't have an urge to fight back. She was right. I had to work with her in order to make sure this wedding went smoothly.

"Tomorrow," The ginger sounded out, still apprehensive in the non-reaction she had just gotten.

"Great," I beamed bitterly. "I'm at the docks all morning, so you can stop by."

I walked past her, her shoulder coming in slight contact with mine as I turned my head a bit, the girl held her breath, not making a sound as I parted my lips. "Wear something sensible. No more heels. I'm not sure you can handle another fall like that."

My voice was low and raspy as I finally pushed my way back out into the crowded bar, knowing she wouldn't follow for at least another five minutes.

 **[A/N:** Little disclaimer, clearly this behavior is very out of character for Chloe… but I kinda like it. **]**


	4. Chapter 4

**The high-pitched** sound echoed against the bare walls, it's noise utterly defined as it bounced off every surface in the house. Each interval made my stomach tighten in an unexplainable fear. Part of my frozen as a dryness found a way to my mouth.

I ached more than anything, shivering against the terror that had made itself known in one fail sweep. My fingers were numb, it seemed, as I quickly shut the oven off, bringing the closest magazine towards the fire alarm as I tried to swat the accumulating smoke away.

This oven had never been a friend of mine. It would heat up quickly, whatever food that dared be placed on its stone stage was soon to be char if you didn't keep a good eye on it. My patience was something that wavered constantly and stepping away for a moment proved fatal.

A deep haze filled the living room and kitchen as I rushed to push the patio door open. The sweat that had collected against my collarbone and beaded flush near my forehead instantly cooled. It was a refreshing breath, the sun just beginning to peak out over the edge of a darkened horizon. My heart was pounding roughly against the inside of my stomach, right where that dreaded pain first originated. It was the memory. That dreaded sound. It brought back a lot.

The next sound of a slight whimper caused me to snap my gaze up, eyes struggling to find a place as I turned towards the little hallway that was lit by nothing but a golden bulb. I wasn't used to the noise. Addy was hard to stir from bed on any given day, her fingers shaking as knuckles turned white. She clung to the wall like she clung to me.

"Oh, Addy" I whispered, kneeling down in front of her. She was crying, the tears dripping unevenly off her chin as it soaked into her nightshirt. She held a little-stuffed cow in one arm, squeezing it tightly as if her life depended on it. That thing had been stitched up more times than I could count. I had washed it over and over again until the scent of soap overpowered that of ash.

I cupped my hand gently behind her neck, my touch subtle as I brushed the tears away from her flushed cheeks. "I'm sorry that woke you up, I was trying to cook breakfast."

Nothing.

"I know it must have been scary, huh? Much worse than an alarm clock."

Addison had been stirred from sleep that fateful night. I was never sure if it was because of the flames that eventually licked at her rich mahogany door, or the fact that the alarms had been blaring like they were a few moments ago. It was the smoke for me- the smoke that billowed against a deep inky sky. I could see it from miles away- before I even got back to the house. I had run past the threshold willingly, but Addison? She was in the pit of it.

The tiny girl pressed into my touch, a small smile tugging at my lips as I tried to lighten the mood. I pulled her closer, breathing in her sweet scent as I held her near, the girl burying her head against the nave of my neck as that stupid stuffed animal created an uncomfortable block between the two of us.

"McDonald's sounds really good right now," I mumbled, knowing that the bacon that had been reduced to char was the last of the supplies I had until I could get back to the store. It was a lost cause at this point, even I didn't want to try my hand at frying up more food- my adrenaline admittedly still pumping out like pheromones. When I pulled away the girl was beaming. "Alright then, I'll take that as a yes."

I stood, letting out a small groan as I pushed her towards her room, trusting the six-year-old to dress, my own concern lying with the charred pot that I had to soak in a mix of detergent and warm water for a few hours.

I placed it easily in the half-full sink, cringing away from the scent of burnt fat and meat. It turned me off to the idea of bacon completely, but my stomach still yearned for some type of food. The greasy clutches of a burger place would do the trick now, the drive over there on my mind as my phone buzzed against the dining room table. It lit up the dark area, my fingers grasping the warm device.

 **DEMON BITCH(** 6:59AM **):**

 _Don't forget, we have some stuff to talk about today._

 **BECA(** 7:03AM **):**

 _How could I possibly forget? You felt the need to remind me this early, so it must be important._

 **DEMON BITCH(** 7:04AM **):**

 _Play nice… I'll see you at nine._

I scoffed, rolling my eyes bitterly as I palmed my keys, waiting for my little sister to finally emerge from the clutches of her room. She still continued to clutch that little farm animal of hers. I drew in a short breath, contemplating objecting. She was still shaken, so I held my tongue, instead, I reached my hand out- her little fingers tracing the edge of a scar that could never be forgotten as I pulled her back to the car.

 **An ocean breeze** licked coolly against the edge of my chest, the weather warming enough to allow me to pull the hem of my shirt over my head- a deep black sports bra the only thing keeping me from diving into the looming ocean down below the docks.

"No, I understand that," I mumbled, one foot resting lazily on the edge of the port side as I let out a struggled breath. The sun was beating against my bare skin, a pair of loose-fitting sweatpants threatening to dip past my waistline. "I was told that the keel would be in by the 27th."

The man on the other end of the conversation was slowly pulling at my nerves. He was just doing his job- his words muffled by the background noise of another employee dealing with a disgruntled customer. The urge to fight against his words was a strong one- but I had been on the other end of some of these calls, knowing that the messenger was never to be shot.

I pulled my foot down from the edge of the Poseidon, it's hull shifting as the driftwood creaked and groaned under my weight. "Well, I can't very much sail her without the part." My voice was deep, close to a growl that I knew he couldn't pick up on.

He rambled on for a few more seconds as I pressed the heel of my hand against my hairline. A thick layer of sweat was covering almost every edge of my body- the seagulls starting to stir from their brief slumber as the sun made its presence more than clear.

I eventually hung up, shaking my head as I mumbled a few profanities. Haven was a tiny town that one had to dig for on the map- getting stuff shipped here from larger companies had always proven difficult. But I was given a time limit from the Mayor, one that I could barely meet as it was.

"You have a customer service voice?"

"Huh?" I sniffed, lowering my aching arm as I turned my back to the ocean. It was something that my father had taught me. Never turn your back on a fight or the sea. They both had the same amount of gust when it came to persistence. In this case, I knew I would be turning away from one and into another.

Chloe.

She was dressed in a loose-fitting t-shirt and jeans, something I didn't know the girl even owned. Even with the baggy clothing her figure was strong and defined- the way she carried herself enticing in its own right. The thoughts of getting a chance to pull those very clothes off of her exited my mind as soon as it entered. I shook my head slightly, trying to clear it.

The girl that I looked over at, however, had her eyes glued to me. Those deep and mysterious eyes that scanned me from top to bottom. I couldn't help the heat that rose to my cheeks as I realized how naked I actually was, my fingers searching for the soft cotton shirt that was next to me.

"Your voice," She spoke finally pulling her gaze up to mine. "It changes when you're having a conversation on the phone."

"Oh." I pulled my shirt over my shoulders, not bothering to readjust it. "I hadn't noticed."

"People usually don't."

I nodded absently, this was the first time that she had spoken to me without sending an insult or two my way. It was odd, seeing how calm she was. I wasn't sure if it had anything to do with the overpowering sun or the early morning hours. I swallowed roughly, outreaching my palm towards the girl. She eyed is suspiciously.

"You want me to get on there?" She asked, cocking an eyebrow condescendingly. It was nice while it lasted.

"Unless you'd rather crack a cold one with John down the docks, then I don't see any other option."

She knit her eyebrows, glancing down at the man who had already started day drinking long before I got here. She was actually considering listening to an old seaman spin fake tales of krakens and islands that were forged from a fire. Instead, Chloe let out a deep breath and eventually laced her fingers with mine, allowing me to pull her towards the middle of the boat.

The edge of her boot got caught on the edge, a small yelp moving past her lips as she clutched frantically at my shirt- her fingers wrapping roughly against the fabric. I winced as they dug into my sides, cheek resting near my chest as she panted. I didn't make much effort to clutch onto her, instead, I just stood- an amused look on my face.

"Ask me on a date first, Beale." I chuckled, the sound vibrating from my chest as she lifted her gaze to mine, still pressed flush against me. She quickly let out a rough growl and shoved me away, shaking her own head to clear it, this time.

"Fuck off, Mitchell." Was all she said, clearly rattled by the way the boat moved with the waves. The ocean was not for everyone and part of me had a feeling that Chloe was one of those people. Instead of fighting her I shook my head and walked towards the small structure that protruded from the inside of the ship.

It held a steering wheel and a few other controls, but more importantly, it was cooler than the rest of the ship, a little living area rested behind a door that I quickly pushed open- the salty scent of the sea filling my lungs. It burned but in the best way possible.

There wasn't much space, two bunk beds chained to the left side of the room while a table and chairs attached to the wall reminded me more of an RV than a vessel that we had built back up and nursed to health. She was almost done- a few technical parts before we could trust her back out in the Pacific.

"Nice place you've got here." Chloe griped, taking the last step into the little area. I rolled my eyes as if she could see. My hands reaching towards the mini fridge that Jesse and I had hooked up during our long nights here. I pulled water from the brightly lit cabinet, offering one to the red-head that she quickly denied.

"It's not mine." I let out a small sigh, leaning on the edge of the table as I cracked open the water. "It's the towns. We pulled it from a wreak a few months ago."

"Oh?" She knit her eyebrows together, seemingly interested. "Was the owner okay?"

"I don't suppose so." I lifted the bottle to my lips, watching her eyes shift against the room as I let the icy liquid drip down my throat and chin. "We pulled it a while ago but it sunk in the 60's."

"It seems so sturdy." She mumbled to herself, shifting her weight from one foot to another as I watched her carefully. It was odd- seeing her once again consumed by the environment of a place instead of making my life a living, but capable, hell.

"Boats sink, Chlo," I shrugged my shoulders. "Sometimes the ocean just wins."

"Right," She squared her shoulders, snapping out of her stance as she sent me a deep glare. "That's enough of that. "Now, about this bridal party"

 **[A/N:** Wow, some niceness! We'll see how long it lasts **]**


	5. Chapter 5

**The scent of** old books was always one of those things that brought me back to elementary school. Haven was one of those places that could never afford the real or even new textbooks, pages torn and branded by students that had made their mark before us, just like we would go on to do. I had never personally defamed them myself, but I could see the appeal.

It was an act of rebellion. When you're a freshman in a school where everyone knows everyone, it's hard to feel like you're you. I went to a place where you saw your teachers with their husbands and wives at church the night before- nothing and no one was foreign until you took a ballpoint pen to a page describing mitosis.

Smoking was too crude and drinking only kept a buzz going for about fifteen minutes once you had been to enough house parties- but still, the scent of old books brought me back. It's one of the reason's I refused to go into Aubrey's shop unless absolutely necessary.

The girl had an infatuation with reading. It started with law books and eventually spread throughout every aspect of her life. You could find her curled up reading on any given day which, for a while, gave me silence when I went to spend the day with Jesse. She would barely look up from the pages- her features reflecting the emotion of what the characters were going through.

Her apartment was above the bookstore. Now it sat emptied and abandoned after Aubrey moved in with Jesse. The little bell above the door was enough to drive anyone insane, so I didn't blame her much, my lungs filling with the musky scent.

Deep grey eyes found mine as Aubrey glanced up from whatever task she was doing behind the desk. "Hey Beca," She mumbled as I shoved my hands in my pockets, giving her a friendly nod. "I got a few more books you can try."

"You are a life-saver Posen," I let out a relieved sigh, a slight grin finding a way to my face.

The rows and rows of books all called out to me with their eccentric covers that boasted about new relationships and teen supernatural romances. A deep and winding iron staircase leading up to the locked apartment.

She simply nodded, pulling up a stack of four or five books. They were older, the canvas covers contrasting yellowed pages that could have been purposely distorted- but I couldn't' tell at this point. They had painted gold letters on them. "She's almost seven, so I thought To Kill a Mockingbird would be okay?"

"Whatever you say," I laughed slightly, fishing in my jeans for the money I owed her. "I've never read it. I don't like birds. They freak me out."

"It's not about a bird, Beca" Aubrey laughed slightly "It's a court case in the deep south. Addy will really love it."

I swallowed roughly, nodding. There was no way that I would be reading that book- but I needed something to keep Addison preoccupied. I wasn't sure if it was the best choice, but she would tear through the meat and bones of any type of literature at this point. It was one of the only things that would calm her down when I wasn't right with her. These books saved Stacie from a lot of heartaches and gave Aubrey some good business.

"Hey, uh" She mumbled, catching my attention with the tone of her voice. I glanced up, my eyebrows raised. She had an odd look on her face, it was soft and caring. Her usually hard stare was anything but as she started to shove the books into a brown paper bag. "I know that it isn't easy to help Chloe with this wedding stuff… But I really appreciate it."

I parted my lips slightly. Aubrey was not exactly the pioneer of sincere feelings, especially when they came to me. She had a daunting look on her features, a slack smile. It made my stomach heat up as my cheeks flushed. Most of me didn't' know why I had agreed to corporate with someone so difficult, but with Aubrey showing her true giving nature at this moment it flashed back within an instant.

"Chloe is right," I sounded out, trying to ignore the rancid taste that went along with those words "You two are perfect for each other, and you deserve the best wedding that you can have."

Aubrey's features brightened once more as she straightened out a bit. The two of us may not have had the best track record but in a matter of months, the bookstore owner would be family. Maybe not by blood, but in spirit all the same. "Just, no more game nights."

"What?" She feigned shock "Afraid to lose again, Mitchell?"

"No," I defended, grasping the bag that she had outreached towards me "I just don't want to make any more trips to the emergency room to get little top-hats removed from my stomach."

"Maybe if it wasn't in your mouth when I kicked your ass that wouldn't be a problem."

"Oh come on, You were like the hulk!"

The loud creaking of iron steps filled the room, halting both of us in our impending argument as we turned our attention towards the red-head that stood halfway down the long spiral stairs. She looked tired, scratching the back of her neck as her shirt raised slightly by a pair of slacked grey sweatpants.

It was from the docks, the t-shirt. Chloe must have fished it out of Aubrey's closet, a sailboat was printed onto the front of the black fabric in white, one half of the sail a deep and unforgiving crimson that brought out the steeled color of the girl's eyes. Aubrey cleared her throat, catching my attention once more as she gave me an accusing look.

"Morning," Chloe stepped into the store completely, the scent of lemon filling my lungs as she raked her eyes against my appearance- my own shirt coated in different patches of grease from my early morning boat work.

"Morning, Chlo" Aubrey smirked, rocking back on her heels as I drew in a sharp breath.

"Beca," The taller girl lifted an eyebrow "I didn't know you could read."

"Oh, I can't." I shoved my free hand into my pocket "I just like to look at the pictures."

The blonde stifled a laugh as she shook her head and walked towards the back room of the store, many books that she just didn't have the heart to part with rested behind that mahogany door. She would donate a lot of them to the hospitals, or even charities, but she never sold them.

"Well, I have places to be" I quickly excused myself, attempting to turn away from the girl as she looped her fingers roughly around my collar, the fabric of my shirt pressing against my throat as I let out a strangled choking sound, whipping around to send her a sharp glare.

"Right, like avoiding my texts and calls?"

"I hit ignore once." I defended.

"In the last half hour."

"You're annoying"

"You're a child."

The taller ginger stepped forward, hair falling into her dark gaze. She glared roughly, but I wasn't going to back down. Not against some realtor with a little bit of an attitude issue that an Adderall would clear right up.

Aubrey cleared her throat once more as she leaned against the doorframe, causing both of us to shatter our little staring contest as Chloe's eyebrows shot up, her breath quickening. There was no way in hell the blonde hadn't picked up on the tension that was forming between her best friend and me.

"Girls," She cocked her head to the side. "Really?"

"She provoked me," I mumbled sheepishly.

"Oh my god." Chloe hissed under her breath.

The taller woman let out a long sigh as she threatened to roll her eyes. I didn't' blame her. The two of us had tried to get along during this whole planning stage of things, Chloe showing a bit of decency towards me maybe once or twice. But she always kept that angry edge about her. Probably some type of defense mechanism. "Clearly you two have some things to work out."

"As long as you don't lock me in a room with hot-shot over here." The ginger stated.

"Actually, I think that's a good idea." I perked up a bit, earning a sharp glare from the girl to my right as the one in front of me lifted her eyebrows curiously. "Not the room thing, but the hot-shot."

That same signature smile moved back to Aubrey's face as she pressed her palms against the desk. Chloe looked confused, her face scrunching up as she watched the odd interaction between the two of us. "Oh, you know, I'm always up for a little target practice."

"Same here," I cracked a smile "Besides, I think all of us need to blow off some steam."

"I'm sorry, what is happening?" Chloe pushed her hands out like she was directing traffic instead of asking for a much-needed explanation. "What the hell is the _Hot-shot?_ "

"Paintball," Aubrey sneered at her friend, watching the girls face change an odd shade of white. "Prepare to get your ass handed to you, Beale."

 **[A/N:** Oooh, Paintball. That should be fun. I hope I'm taking this in the right direction **]**


	6. Chapter 6

**The room smelled** like a hockey rink- it's scent thick of plastic, a sweet edge making my mouth water as I caught a good whiff of the hot-dog stands a few blocks down. This was a part of town that none of us really ventured to anymore- not recently. The small string of shops was an attempt by the Mayor to make us a tourist attraction, but it really just brought unwanted loitering by a bunch of teenagers.

I remembered the first time Jesse and I had rolled up to the Hot Shot. Our legs were sore and sweat dripped against every inch of our exposed skin. It was the summer before Junior year- neither of us having anything more than a learner's permit. We resorted to bikes then- mine a deep rusty red like my truck while his sparkled in blue paint in the sun.

Neither of us had any money on us, but we had heard of a little place on the edge of town that allowed paintball. Even with our hearts pounding in our ears we could smell the paint and hear the subtle click of the triggers. It was exhilarating, even if we just leaned against our forms of transportation and watched paint covered people exit the arena with shit-eating grins on their faces.

We saved up the whole entire summer and bought an hour game the night before classes began again. Each of us digging in couch cushions and taking odd jobs cutting peoples lawns in the hot sun. The hits burned more after all that exposure, but we had a blast- everything was worth it.

Today was a different story. Part of me was holding resentment towards the girl who stood next to me with her hands in her pockets and lips pursed. She had her chin lifted like she was better than me. She was, by all rights, better than me. Keeping up with Aubrey Posen in the standards department.

The blonde was poking her tongue out of her lips as she fastened the belt around her waist, keeping the camouflage pants against her hips. The black form-fitting t-shirt that hugged her sides did so well. She looked like her father, a military man that I had only met once. I averted my gaze, rolling up my own sleeves to meet my elbows as Chloe struggled to lace up her shoes.

Stacie struggled with zipping up her own pants, letting out a struggled grumble as she stuck her lower lip out to pout. It brought a sly smile to my face, seeing a long-time friend completely out of her element. The locker room keeping an odd chill to it.

"I don't understand how you think this is fun," Chloe mumbled, pulling at her laces with exasperation. I didn't glance her way, instead training my gaze on Aubrey giving up and helping Stacie with her own situation.

She was laughing, a smile on her lips as she threw her head back and laughed, getting a good look at Amy who looked ready enough to begin the game. The shorter blonde had a thick fire in her eyes that made me recoil to a certain extent. I didn't want to get in that girl's line of fire, not on or off of the battlefield.

"Oh, I don't think it matters how I feel," I said, a bit of condescension in my voice as I lowered myself onto the bench next to Chloe, starting to look down at my untied boots. Her body was hot close to mine, but I was getting used to it. Chloe on the other hand stiffened. "Do you see how happy she is?"

The red-head let out a sigh. Aubrey did look happy. Both of us were fairly certain of that. The blonde had her arm on Stacie's shoulder, shaking her head as the disoriented brunette blushed under the embarrassment of having so much trouble with a simple belt and zipper. My stare shifted slightly as I watched Chloe, a wonderment finding it's way to her features as she watched her friend.

"Just let loose and shoot some things, Beale." I let a smirk press against my lips as I handled her the paint gun, it clicked against her grasp, her fingers twitching around the weapon as she shook her head.

"I don't see any targets painted on your back."

I growled as I stood, not really wanting to feed into her snarky comments today. I knew that I was a better shot than this woman from the city, and at this point, that's all that mattered. That and Aubrey. I didn't even know why I was spending so much time trying to impress this woman, but I was. I had to.

"Mouse!" Amy said from her leaned up positioned at the locker, I fought off the urge to roll my eyes at the woman, knowing that her famous grilled cheeses were worth the nicknames that I had earned for myself. "How about a little wager?"

"Oh no," I held my free hand up, the weapon hanging by my side. "I am not falling into that trap."

"If you get three good hits than I'll strike your tab."

I snapped my head up, narrowing my eyes as Aubrey's mouth made an "O" shape. I had seen the girl grow competitive before, many times before. She loved to bet for things like this and she was like a fly to peanut butter at this point, silently leaning forward to see if I would stake it all. I licked my lips.

"What happens if I don't?"

"I get the Poseidon for a day." Amy grinned.

I clenched my eyes shut, squeezing the bridge of my nose as I weighed my options. The tab had run up pretty high and I had been coming here for years- but Amy? Amy was something else. I could barely get anything out of her about her past. "If you fuck on my couch-"

"Whoa, relax Shawshank!" The girl held her hands up in resilience "I miss sailing, alright? Three shots."

Another slight growl moved away from my lips as I swallowed roughly. Aubrey lifted a brow as Chloe crossed her arms over her chest: Both watching to see what I would do. I quickly stuck my hand up, the ginger throwing her head back in exasperation as Aubrey whispered a small victory cry at the little wager.

"You've got yourself a deal."

Amy smirked as she took my head, squeezing it slightly with that same salty look in her eyes.

 **Chloe's arm wrapped** around my mid-section as she dug her nails roughly into my skin. She wasn't short on pushing her whole entire weight on me, my jaw clenched as the cool mud that mixed with bright orange paint coated my exposed skin.

I bit the inside of my lip, feeling the sting as I didn't falter from her grasp. She was in a lot more pain than I was, coated entirely in mud as she hopped along on one foot- the wet pavement not giving us much mercy as the scent of asphalt filled my lungs.

"Ow, ow, ow" The red-head mumbled through choked sobs that set blurred streaks across her cheeks. "Fuck."

I knit my eyebrows together as the cold edge of the emergency room instantly washed over the two of us. She shivered into me, her other arm draped over my shoulders as I let out a small groan, setting her on the closest chair with a huff.

She was angry, her eyes forged in rage as she fought through the pain that was no doubt rushing through her leg at this point. Amy having ambushed the two of us out of nowhere. Not only did I piss off my supposed partner- but I also was in desperate need of stitches, Chloe close to breaking her ankle.

The receptionist lifted her eyes towards the window, no hint of amusement against her features as she leaned back in her hair, pushing a clipboard towards me. "Alright, G.I Joe, fill out both of your Insurance information and we'll get a doctor to see you soon."

I nodded, swallowing the dry taste against my lips instead of paying attention to the looks the two of us were getting. It appeared that the two of us had been mud wrestling instead of playing a simple game of paintball.

I lowered myself into the seat next to Chloe, handing the paperwork as she let out a small mumble before creasing her brow and focusing on the questions that she could answer in her sleep. Her foot was outstretched in front of her, my phone buzzing in my pocket.

 **STACE [5:08pm]**

 _I'll take care of Addy tonight, she's got that book Aubrey gave her. Just keep us updated._

 **BECA[** 5:12pm **]**

 _Oh my god, you're a life saver, tell Aubrey I'm so sorry._

 **STACE[5:13pm]**

 _For what? She's still laughing her ass off. Maybe next time don't challenge professional marksmen to a pissing contest? See you tomorrow, Becs._

I groaned, shaking my head as I shoved my slowly dying phone into my pocket. Stacie was good on her word, I knew she would keep Addison calm and collected for a few hours while I struggled with my own fear of needles and hospitals in general. My mind racing as Chloe stayed silent. It was the longest she ever had, clearly in pain.

"Hey, it was a dumb idea," I said smoothly, finally admitting it to myself as the minutes ticked by.

"Challenging Amy or paintball in general?"

"Both?" I sounded out. Not sure which one I wanted to stake my claim to. Either way, I expected her to yell a little more than she was. To scream or something in that snarky tone that she carried. Instead, she blinked at the fluorescent lights that hung above us. She let out a breath, closing her eyes.

I placed my hands in my lap, stare darting each time a doctor dared to walk by. I hated this place- the way the carpets looked so much like a movie theater, the way antiseptic burned against my lungs and lights lit up long corridors that were lined with prints of famous paintings. My heart pounded each time an employee passed by, finally filling my ears as someone caught my attention.

The blonde's face lit up as I gave her a slight nod. She was talking to another doctor, her hand holding a file as she closed it, excusing herself from her conversation as my uncomfortable shift stirred Chloe a bit- but not enough to get the girl to open her eyes.

"Beca Mitchell," Her dark blue scrubs contrasted roughly with her grey gaze. She looked good. Different, but good. Jessica had such a young look about her, one that caught my attention constantly.

Chloe had finally sat up, drawing in a breath as she sat herself up, eyes tired, but amused by the interaction.

"How have you been?" She took in my appearance "Keeping yourself busy, I see?"

"Oh, this?" I raised my fingers to the cut that ran itself against my forehead, the blood having slowed as I smeared it away. "Just a little light-hearted game of paintball."

The doctor laughed, her eyes flicking towards Chloe for a few moments before she moved her attention back to me, holding out her hands. "Can I see them?"

I stared at her for a few moments, understanding exactly what she met as the girl next to me lifted her chin slightly, biting her lip despite the thick taste of soil and water. Eventually, I relented, feeling the pressure of the situation.

Jessica's touch was soft as she grasped my hands, ignoring the dirt under my nails as she ran her hands over the scars that were against my palms. They were distorted and burned, something that Chloe hadn't noticed- something I never wanted to talk about. The skin was bumpy and pink- layered from grafting and surgeries that Jessica had performed herself.

"You healed well," She said with a smile. "I trust I can count on our appointment in a few months."

I nodded politely, thanking her again before she nodded at Chloe and walked away, her shoes clicking against the stupid carpet. I wish they were louder, my focus being on her steps instead of Chloe's toxic stare melting the side of my skull.

"The fire, it uh" I spoke, voice cracking as I mentally cursed myself, not looking towards Chloe. "It affected my hands first, you know? I reached right into the flames, not even registering how damaging it could really be."

The silence was enough to make self-doubt twist against my stomach, my own stare focused on the very hands that caused me so many issues.

"Beca," She whispered, her own voice ruined as I breathed in the scent of soil.

"Chloe Beale." The very receptionist that had given me the paperwork now stood by a wooden door, her own file in her hands as she searched the sea of people in the waiting room. I sniffed slightly, finally meeting the woman's gaze.

"Looks like you're up, Red."


	7. Chapter 7

Her gloved hands were cold against my cheek, the scent of latex filling my lungs as I got up close and personal with the woman who had the task of stitching up my forehead. I wanted to swallow that looming anxiety that rose in my chest like I had done with the majority of the mud that found a way into my mouth- but instead, I sat quietly.

Ashley seemed sweet enough, her eyes a deep caramel that contrasted with her dark blue scrubs. The incessant sound of a monitor beeping past a thin blue sheet was enough to get me counting the seconds that passed.

One…Two…three.

The machine would sound again, my eyes closed. I could still see the bright fluorescent lights through my eyelids, though. It was bothersome. No wonder no one could ever feel at ease in an Emergency room.

Four…Five…Six.

I could hear Chloe groaning in the room next to mine if you could even call it a room. It was reserved for the low-risk patients. Obviously, they hadn't met my counterpart. The ginger didn't take well to hospitals either, She was kicking with her one good leg, and shouting towards anyone that walked close enough once the poor doctor had informed her that it was a slight break- one that they had to reset.

Seven…Eight…Nine.

"Your friend has calmed down quite a bit," Ashley spoke, breath hot on my collarbone as she struggled to make conversation.

I had to bite back a laugh. Something told me that Chloe only settled herself because they gave her an IV drip that allowed her to be lulled into a deep sleep. One that was most importantly, very silent. I heard the soft sound of metal scissors against an equally as cooled tray before the woman detached herself from me.

"All done, Sweetie." I opened my eyes a blinked a few times, that was relatively painless. "You have to fill out some paperwork, and stay here for a few more hours, but I can always take that middle curtain down if you want to keep your friend company"

"Thank you," I spoke with hesitation. Chloe Beale was certainly not my friend but she was my responsibility for the moment, so I let the term fly for the second time in five minutes. This woman seemed harmless enough, even if she was the one to deliver the bad news of a concussion.

"Anytime," She smiled once more as she started to push back the middle divider. I cocked my head to the side as I got a good look at Chloe. She looked so peaceful, curled up in a ball as she snored slightly against the sedatives that they had given her. There was a bit of blood around the IV, something that I was itching at myself.

I settled for watching her doze off for a couple of minutes, knowing damn well that the only reason they wouldn't let me out of here was that I was a flight risk. Not for running, but for falling into my own slumber. I was sleepy.

A sigh escaped my lungs as I settled into the bed, it was propped up the most it could be, the silhouettes of a few doctors walking by caught my attention every once and awhile, but really, I just had time to think. Think about this stupid wedding and how hard I was mentally trying to impress a girl who meant little to nothing to me.

But that was the thing. The Red-Head had gotten under my skin even if I hated every single second of it. Those rare moments where she stopped huffing and puffing enough to show genuine care to other people… it was like no other. Nothing I could shake at least. Like a bad cold, or a good shower, maybe.

"What are you thinking about?" A groggy voice made my head snap to the side. I groaned, raising my fingers to my temple in disgust. That was a horrible move on my part- a hangover amplified as my pulse pounded roughly against my temple.

Chloe winched herself as she sleepily tugged on the IV on the top of her hand, the tape pinching at the already raw skin. "I thought you were asleep."

"I wasn't." She spoke, voice soft. "I don't know… maybe I was. Does blacking out count as sleep?"

I chuckled, but not too loudly. Everything still aching from the nasty fall both of us had partaken in. "Just how much I fucked up."

"You didn't fuck up."

The words were shocking. Of course, I had. Both of us were in the hospital and now Amy had access to a boat that Jesse would kill for if it went out on the water before it was finished. I mucked up almost every situation and this wasn't any different. Chloe continued despite herself.

"Aubrey had fun, and so did the other girls," Chloe smirked at the memory. "And you know, up until we got ambushed, I was having a great time too."

"Were you?"

"Yeah!" She exclaimed, shifting her position so that she was laying on her back, staring up at the tiled ceiling that was coated in red and blue specs. I was doing the same, not really knowing any other way to focus my attention. An eerie silence fell over the two of us again.

"Becs?"

"Hmm?"

"What was that doctor…" She trailed off "I mean, you two seemed like you know each other."

I let out a muffled sigh, running my hand across my features. Maybe it was to stop them from shaking, or the immediate exhaustion that wracked my body. Either way, Chloe's words send an odd feeling against my stomach, against my whole entire being. Living in a small town was enough to keep me sane, in a way. People knew. People speculated, but they knew. The ginger next to me didn't- and part of me had a feeling that I would break down under this conversation.

"There was a fire," I spoke, voice rough like I had been breathing in those flames once more. Chloe snapping her eyes towards me. They stung against the side of my face. "I… I wasn't there. Not originally. I was out with Jesse, but on the way home, we saw the smoke. And I knew. I just… I knew that it was my house. My family."

"Beca," Chloe whispered, close to silent. She was warning me that I didn't have to continue if I didn't' want to- but I did. Because, okay, I hated Chloe Beale with every ounce of my being, but I also felt a bit of comfort with her at this moment. Enough to want to talk and let her know that the scars that dug deep against my palms had their own story.

I stared at her, giving her a slight nod. She settled a bit, not as tense as she stared back up at the fluorescent light that rested above her. She didn't' take those blue orbs off of the flickering that occurred every once and awhile.

"Everything was really quiet, you know? Kind of like when things explode in movies. I could hear a ringing in my ears that was almost louder than the fire alarms. But… but they didn't' do much good, I suppose.

"Jesse, he tried to stop me. You know, him being him. But I fought back and didn't listen to any of the firefighters that tried to stop me. They couldn't because nothing else mattered at that moment. So I ran in. I ran in and felt every single inch of that fire against my body."

Chloe gulped, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her shirt as she clenched her jaw, flexing it a bit like she wanted to say something, but she didn't'.

"They uh, they said that the fire started in my parent's room. There wasn't really much they could do to stop it. The heater was installed wrong and it was no-one's real fault. I don't think anyone would have been able to catch it."

That damned silence was still pressing against the room. Of course, I could still hear the beeping of the monitor and the shuffling of a few people out in the hallway. The ringing in my ears was dull- but apparently came along with the fuzzy feeling of a concussion. I couldn't really complain.

I wouldn't know what to say either.

 **[A/N: Woof, what a heavy chapter. Hopefully you guys like it!]**


	8. Chapter 8

**"I mean, it's cute,"** I spoke, my words groggy and disconnected from the rest of my body. Everything felt surreal, in a way- the sun not yet peaking up over the cloudy horizon as it's oranges and blues melted into one muddy color. One muddy color that caught Chloe's gaze in such a drawn-out way.

It wasn't quite cold, but Haven never was.

My fingers wrapped around the fabric that was bunched up just above my elbows, pulling the light layer down over my wrists until it weeded out some of the chills that ran against the hills. I had never been up here- it was close to make-out point, but this time it was owned. A vineyard that didn't produce anything more than a few corps out of the year and post-cards the rest.

Chloe was staring at me like I had grown an extra head, her lips parted slightly, and arms crossed over her chest. "That's all? _It's cute?_ "

"Well, Chlo, what do you want me to say?" I scratched the back of my neck as I struggled to stifle a yawn. My head was still killing me, the skin broken and bruise reaching right towards the edge of my hairline. It gave me a splitting headache- and being woken up by multiple texts from the demon beside me didn't help. "I'm a zombie before I get at least one cup of coffee."

"Even a zombie can say more than that." The redhead let out a grumble as she plopped down on the edge of the picnic table. It creaked and groaned under her added weight, her elbow stretched as it rested on the wooden top.

"I don't know what kind of zombie movies you've been watching," I spoke softly, lowering myself down to her level as I felt the heat from her body radiate against me. She smelled so much like lemon, lemon, and ginger. It tickled my lungs, making my eyes water as I rubbed the sleep from them.

"Sorry I woke you so early," Chloe said, not pulling her eyes away from the sunrise. It was slowly turning a cloud-soaked sky into a deep orange one. Golden. "The guy I spoke to on the phone said we could only see it at seven. He had wedding parties all day."

"No, it's, uh" I ran my hands over the jeans that hadn't been washed in a couple of days. I had just thrown on whatever was on the floor- in this case, is was paint soaked jeans and a white dock t-shirt. "It's pretty."

Chloe let out a laugh, shaking her head as she squeezed the bridge of her nose. "Beca, has anyone ever told you that you've got a way with words?"

I shook my head, running a hand through my hair. It felt greasy and uncombed. It technically was, but I didn't even get a chance to hop into the shower today. Instead, I sat in Chloe's passenger seat to be driven into a far part of Haven.

"Could you get married here?" She asked suddenly, again staring forward at the slowly rising sun. It was getting warmer by the second but I refused to push my sleeves back up in annoyance. "Hypothetically."

A light breath left my lungs. Could I? I never thought about marriage. For most of my life, it was impossible to even think about a big ceremony and wedding bands. This place, this place was beautiful. It was filled with large oak trees and deep hazes that would shade an altar in the best way. The grass was mowed in fancy patterns and the scent of basil was fresh in the air- but I couldn't stop biting my tongue to say that. Not to Chloe, or Stacie, or even Amy in the off chance that I wanted to be ambushed once again.

"Hypothetically," I shifted in my seat, leaning my arms against my knees "If I were to get married here, I would do it over there. Right under those trees."

"Hmm," Chloe knit her eyebrows together, staring towards the spot that I had pointed out.

"It's um, it gets kind of hot here during the day. So, I would want to have a little bit of shade, but not enough to block out whoever I was marrying. I'd want to see her eyes, you know? They'd probably be red and so would mine, but I'd still want to see them- because chances are, that's what I would fall in love with in the first place.

"I don't know if I'd want rose petals against the aisles though because red seems way too harsh a color for this place you know? Like it's out of place. But maybe white roses or yellow but those are hard to find- I think. But then you have to worry about what else would clash with yellow. Red roses go with anything but they're cliché and this place… this place is anything but cliché."

I tapered off, knowing damn well that I was rambling. It wasn't normal, the way I was talking to Chloe. She had asked me a simple question and I had given her a damn book- a book that she only wanted the prologue for. My gaze tapering up towards her for a slight second before rushing back to my hands.

"You think about all that stuff?" Chloe finally asked, her voice barely above an audible whisper.

"Hypothetically, I mean." I cleared my throat, eyes flicking towards her once more, this time holding that stormy stare. "I think she'd like it here."

"I think she would," Chloe whispered back, directing her gaze back towards the sun that was now hanging heavily in the sky. That very sky that captivated both of our attention, in such a looming silence.

 **The scent of** grilled cheese filled my lungs, stomach clenching from the lack of actual food that I had been consuming lately. The packet of M&M's that I had lazily torn through on the way home from the venue wasn't doing much for me, and neither was my ability to cook.

Addison was sitting next to me, kicking her feet against the stool, but not enough to hit the actual bar- maybe once every couple of kicks, but not so it was incessant. She was focusing on a coloring book, trying her hardest to stay in the lines as she filled in the white with an orange crayon. Just like the sun this morning.

"You know, rhinos are not orange," I said into my folded arms as I watched her carefully.

She scrunched her face up and let out a huff, giving me an annoyed look before going back to her picture. The bar empty enough for me to not have much to focus on other than her colorful portrayal of a large animal.

"I think she knows that, Short Stack," Amy said, placing two plates in front of the two of us. My stomach growled, but not enough for her to hear it. My mouth watering against the thought of fries and hot gooey cheese. Addison seemed to have the same idea as she abandoned her picture and shoved a fry into her mouth, humming in happiness.

"I told her I wanted to get married," I spoke, picking at my food as I took a large bite of the toasted bread, letting out an involuntary moan as Amy laughed, going to fill up the glass of water that didn't really need to be topped off, but she couldn't sit still.

"You proposed? To who?"

"I didn't propose." My eyes flicked towards Addy, her own expression shocked as I pointed an accusatory finger towards her "Hey- I didn't propose."

"I'm assuming you're starting to pine over the newcomer."

I cringed at her choice of words. "Chloe? Really?"

"Red may have attitude, but she's a tough nut to crack. Isn't she? She's a challenge and you like challenges."

"I do not like challenges," I grumbled, sniffing against the cold of the bar.

Part of her was right, Chloe is the most stubborn, annoying woman I have ever met, but she was starting to grow on me. It wasn't like the first night that I had run into on the docks. The one that wouldn't' let me help her up after a rough faceplant. The same woman who pulled me out of a deep sleep every couple of days to help plan a wedding.

"You're starting to enjoy all of this stuff, aren't you?" Amy said, amusement in her voice.

"Wipe that shit-eating grin off your face, Patricia," I grumbled, earning a scowl. Two could play the name game. "The Wedding stuff isn't _that_ awful. Alright? But that doesn't mean I like Chloe fucking Beale."

"Alright, Shawshank." She held up her hands in surrender, her stare flashing towards Addison. "You want some cake, Little Bit?"


	9. Chapter 9

**My mind was** buzzing, a constant ringing in my ears that hadn't evaded me since I took that fall at the paintballing place. It was like the one time I had actually gotten a chance to fly somewhere. It was for my grandmother's funeral- at the beach. I was too young to register death yet, all I knew was that this was a new experience and flying should be fun.

I hated every second of it- the screeching baby a few rows behind me, the dull popping of my ears even though I had shoved half a pack of gum into my mouth to dull it, and the uneasy nausea that hit the core of my stomach the second we were ascending.

Sitting in the park on a nice day wasn't like any of that. That ringing was still there, but at least the sun was shining- beating down on every inch of exposed skin that was available. My breath was short, panting from the excessive physical activity of playing a simple game of frisbee with Jesse and Addison. The bright orange disc passed back and forth between the two as I placed my hands on my knees to catch my bearings.

"Bec-aw!" Jesse shouted, flicking his wrist back as the disc whizzed towards me, I shot up quickly, ignoring the dizzy feeling as I caught it between my thumb and forefinger, feeling a dull ache on my palm.

"Jesus, Jess" I laughed shifting the toy to my other hand as I shook out my right one. He had some arm, always had. It was almost unfair- he was the star hitter of the Haven Devils for four years running. The whole entire mascot things seemed like an oxymoron to me.

Addison shifted on her feet, giving me a pleading look as sweat began to collect on her forehead. I smiled softly, knowing she would never shout out about me passing the disc, but she would get cranky pretty soon. I gave her a playful look as I tossed the frisbee her way, maybe with a little too much force.

The bright object moved through the air, landing right behind a large oak tree towards the edge of the yard. A few other people were in the park today- they stuck to the sidewalks with their dogs, a group of older women throwing food to the ducks that quacked happily on the pond.

"Oh, man sorry kiddo." I shrugged my shoulders as Addison gave me a pensive stare. "I overshot that a little. You mind getting it for me?"

She huffed, sticking out her bottom lip as I lifted my eyebrows up. Jesse settled in next to me, crossing his arms over his chest with an amused stare on his face. He moved his chin up, egging the girl to go retrieve the frisbee. She shook her head and trotted off, the two of us watching her vanish behind the tree.

"You did that on purpose."

"Did not," I grumbled, shoving my hands in my pockets as he gave me a look. "Maybe, but she needs exercise. I have to wear her out."

"She's not a dog, Beca you can't play fetch with Addie."

"She likes it." I shot back, a smile still on my lips as I peered around the edge of the tree. I couldn't see much- a bit of Addison's arm that held the frisbee. She looked like she was talking to someone, someone that neither Jesse or I had noticed before. I shoved my shoulder into his before dropping my expression and trotting off towards my little sister.

My lips parted slightly as I got a good look at that girl kneeling in front of Addison. Her wild red hair falling into her eyes as a sweet smile spread across her face. She was squatting, keeping her voice low as Addison smiled against whatever Chloe was saying. It looked so natural- so normal.

I cleared my throat, Addison snapping her head towards me as she cheeks turned a deep red. Chloe's own expression faltered as she rose to her feet, cocking her head to the side while she waited for me to speak. I didn't get much a chance to before Addison flung herself at me, wrapping her arms around my leg. She dug her nails into the denim of my jeans as she buried her face into them.

"Hey, Chlo" Jesse had jogged over to the two of us by now, putting his hand softly on Addison's head as she leaned into his touch. "What are you doing here?"

"I have a meeting with a real-estate agent at two." She said with a sweet smile "I needed to kill some time and it was a nice day, so I was doing some reading. Until I got hit with a frisbee."

I struggled to stifle a laugh as Jesse gave me another look of warning. Chloe shook her head at my obvious trouble.

"Then I met Addison here," Chloe continued, ignoring my behavior. "She's really talkative."

"That's sarcasm, right?" I asked, laughing as Addie hugged me closer. Jesse shook his head with a smile as an odd look passed over the gingers face.

"No," She narrowed her eyes, "She told me you're her older sister for one, which is more than you did. And that her favorite animal is an elephant because they're so big but they're really gentle. Oh! And your favorite color is yellow because it's underrated. Right, Addison?"

I swallowed slightly as I stared at Chloe, my lips parted. Jesse carried a similar expression, his eyes flicking to the little girl engrave in my side before moving back to Chloe. She had a book folded under her arm- To Kill a Mockingbird. I blinked a bit, trying to regain my senses.

"What?" Chloe asked in confusion.

I ignored her and pried Addison off of my calf before kneeling down. I grasped her shoulders, forcing her gaze towards mine. "Addie, did you tell all that stuff to Chloe?"

She looked timid, her eyes flashing towards the woman standing to my side before slowly meeting mine once more- blinking as she nodded slowly. I blew air from my nose as I smiled brightly. A part of me pained that she hadn't spoken anything for over two years. Her first explanation to Chloe of all people.

I grasped the frisbee from her softly before tossing it a little further into the grassy patch, hearing her let out a deep whine as she rolled her eyes. "Go long, Addie." She huffed once more and pushed off to retrieve the frisbee, leaving the three of us alone as I stood back up, my throat tight.

"Beca, she is not a dog."

"That's what I said!" Jesse explained, earning a death stare from me as my eyes glassed over. He snapped his jaw shut quickly, breathing in as he placed a hand on my shoulder. "You okay?"

"I'm sorry, am I missing something?" Chloe asked in a softer tone, catching my attention as I flicked my blue stare her way. She softened at the look on my face, furrowing her brow.

"Addison, she's uh" I scratched the back of my neck, trying to keep my voice from cracking under the pressure. "After the fire, She was mute, she is mute… She hasn't spoken to a soul in two years and she, she just had a leisurely conversation with you in the park?"

"Beca, I-a had no idea," Chloe said, barely above a whisper.

"Why would you?" I asked, struggling to wipe the couple of tears that had flooded over my waterline. I didn't' want Chloe Beale of all people to see me break. I drew in a breath, knowing damn well that the two of them were watching me with utmost delicacy. "I… Jess, do you mind meeting me with Addie in an hour?"

He nodded softly, squeezing my shoulder once more with compassion as he shot Chloe a glance. I gave her a nod myself before I took a step back, the grass making an odd sound against my work boot as I mustered a small smile. Turning my back to the pair before blinking away whatever tears threatened to spill over in frustration.


	10. Chapter 10

**Salt coated my** lips, a faulty side effect of the ocean breeze that cooled my hot cheeks. I closed my eyes to the dull lullaby that the waves created as they crashed into a rocky shore. Haven was ugly that way, there wasn't soft white sand or clear water- there was only muddy rifts and black sand that was really crushed up gravel.

I licked them, my lips, trying to make sure that they weren't as dry and cracked as they felt. They were my throat tightening from the thick edge. It created a brine, one that made my fingers feel numb and chest ache. My palms pressing heavily against the railing of the Poseidon- eyes trained on a never-ending horizon.

My arms were shaking. I wasn't sure if it was the rage, or fear, or both. Maybe it was both, but I couldn't catch up to my thoughts, a train that had picked up speed as coals were added to the raging flames. I should be happy. Shouldn't I? Addison talked. She spoke actual syllables and here I was sulking on a boat that was just as broken as I am.

"Are you alright?" a voice struggled to pull me from my locked gaze. It was soft and caring, leaking with concern as my stomach churned and hissed. I didn't answer. Didn't acknowledge the little grunts Chloe made as she struggles onto the bow of the boat. Her footfalls were loud and clunky against the wood.

"What kind of a bullshit question is that?" I finally spoke as she leaned against the rails herself, staring out at the pulling tide as her elbows balanced on the railing, hands nearly meeting. My voice was edged. _"Am I alright?"_

Chloe swallowed dejectedly, not saying a word as the soft sounds of the sea pressed against our ears. The older girl could practically feel the rage leaking off of me. I was revving myself up, struggling to find my composure before I spoke.

"Addison Mitchell is fucking mute." I finally condemned "She hasn't spoken a word in two years to me. Two years and you flash those blue doe eyes and suddenly she opens up to you like… like it's nothing?"

"Beca, that is not my fault." Chloe immediately went on the defensive, standing up straight as she dropped her hands to her sides. "She looked like… She looked like a normal six-year-old. Of course, I was going to make conversation with her. I didn't know she was your sister."

"I didn't need to tell you that." I sputtered, turning to face her as I raised my voice. "You're Chloe, okay? You're Aubrey Posen's best friend. You don't know me."

My chest was heaving with anger, She was close, her scent caught in my throat as I kept a hardened stare. "You don't know me. And… and don't' you have some stupid real estate meeting to get to, huh?"

I pressed my fingers to my hairline whipping away from her as a gloss coated those stormy eyes. Those eyes that got to me since day one. I didn't understand it. I didn't understand any of this. Why was Chloe suddenly showing compassion through that heart of ice? It might have been the fire or the way I softened around my own little sister that changed her snotty attitude- but I still didn't quite get it.

"Not when you're upset like this." She finally mumbled to me. "I canceled."

"Why?" I rumbled, turning around to face her once more, stepping about a foot closer until I was in her face again. I knew it wasn't fair, she was just trying to help. Chloe was close to towering over me, adjusting her jaw in a taut way that displayed her pure anger and discontent. "Why would you cancel a meeting to check on me when you can't stand being in the same room with me for more than three minutes?"

"Beca," She reasoned with a small chuckle, one that raised my tensions even more. She found this comical. "I'm not some evil woman, okay? This isn't about me. This isn't about us. This is about Addison. You're upset, and it's breaking you."

"It's not breaking me," I struggled through my words, voice low "I broke when that fire ripped through my childhood home. She broke, and there-"My stomach churned as my voice got caught in my throat and tore at my vocal cords, tears pressing against my cheeks. "There is no way that I can put her back together without missing a few pieces."

The pain tore through my whole entire body, my legs struggling to support the fear and emotion that ripped through me. Chloe's hands were quick to find a way under my elbows, holding me up as her fingers dug into my arms. She hesitated as I felt my knees hit the edge of the boat, a sob moving through my throat.

I was shocked, shaking at the cold that pressed flush against every inch of my body. Even more shocked at how quick Chloe was to pull me into her embrace, her scent enveloping me. I cried into her chest, clenching onto the fabric of her shirt as I struggled to catch my breath. Struggled to catch my senses.

"Shh," Chloe whispered, hugging me close as she traced small patterns on my back, "Bec's I need you to calm down… I don't know how to help someone who is hyperventilating, so please don't hyperventilate."

I laughed slightly at her antics, sniffing as I edged my breath, my fingers cold and shaking from the ocean air. From the pain that I had yet to come to terms with. From the sister who wouldn't speak a word to me. "I- I shouldn't be mad. Not at you."

"You shouldn't be mad at you either," Chloe whispered, not making a move to pull away anything soon. "Beca you… you've done everything you can, and she will talk when she is ready."

I swallowed rather roughly, the action tearing at my throat. The ocean air was so dry and desolate compared to the rest of Haven. I knew that Chloe was right… something else that pained me to admit. The Redhead may be more complex than I had originally thought. Not as vein and dense. In fact, she was soft, soft as she cradled me in her tender grasp. Her scent was thick with ginger and maybe even a little bit of mint- but it was a good contrast to the salted breeze.

Addison would talk when she found it fit. My whole body ached at the thought of a near stranger getting a taste of her voice. I missed the melodic sound so much to the point of an actual physical need to hear it ripped through me on occasion. My little sister would smile and laugh, but I knew deep down that the fire had taken something away from her- something that I needed to give her. Something that I couldn't figure out yet.

"Chloe?" I whispered, not used to the strangled tone.

"Yeah, Beca?" She spoke into my hair, her words muffled as she traced little circles on the top of my arm. They were foreign patterns that weren't cohesive, but soothing nonetheless.

"Sorry I hit you in the face with that frisbee."


	11. Chapter 11

**I twirled the** noodles around the base of my fork, an odd scraping sound pressing against the inside of my ears as I stared down at the mass in the middle of the plate. The sauce was a wine-like mess, it's color sharp compared to the dull stretch of pasta. I had lost my appetite but figured if I kept pushing it around the round plate, maybe it would look like I made a dent.

Chloe wasn't buying it, her lapis stare would flick from the blonde back to me at any given moment. I could tell she was walking on eggshells around me since the incident on the boat. I didn't blame her- we got up and refused to talk about it for a week after it happened. But the wedding was fast approaching, and we had a lot to go over.

The marigold light that washed over the four of us was nothing to be desired. A few candles placed on the white tablecloth- the two of us having skillfully set the pages of decisions and documents around the wax filled glasses. "We drove out and took a look at the vineyard," Chloe started.

"You liked it?" Jesse asked with a mouthful of garlic bread. Aubrey glanced his way, rolling her eyes at his childish demeanor when it came to food. I had learned quickly that if you didn't eat fast around Jesse, you didn't eat at all. Aubrey seemed to be used to the tactic as well.

"Loved it," I raised the crystal glass filled with wine to my lips. I spoke into it "It was pretty,"

"A lot better than that old barn," Chloe stated, the place smelled roughly of must and mold, it could have been fixed up with a little elbow grease. But to everyone here, the vineyard was the safer and cleaner option.

Aubrey leaned back into her seat with a deep smile on her lips. It wasn't one that signified finding a location, though. Instead, it reflected something more. A glimmer in her eyes that wasn't from that damned candle in the center of the table. Chloe must have noticed, knitting her eyebrows together as she raised her shoulders into a slight shrug.

"The vineyard sounds great." She made a move to close the folder, causing a sharp intake of air on my end. "Enough business for one night, right? It's been a long week."

"I suppose," I took another large gulp of my wine, hoping to drown out the numbing feeling of regret eating away at my core. My one eyebrow lifted with discontent. She was being odd, the whole table picking up on it as Jesse lowered his fork with a whole sloppy bite on it.

"You two are getting along well."

 _Oh, that's what this is about_. A sly smile worked its way to my lips. Chloe stammering over her own food as she raised the cloth napkin to her lips and wiped away any residual food. None of us seemed to be sure why they had chosen such a fancy restaurant for such a quiet conversation that could have been had at Amy's just the same.

"Yeah," Chloe sounded out "I guess Beca isn't so bad."

"Don't be so kind, Chloe." I chided "You might pop a blood vessel."

She snorted, placing her cloth napkin back down on her knee as she went back to twirling the noodles around the spades of her fork. The two of us could feel a set of Irish eyes bore across the table, Jesse having averted his own gaze to his meal. There was an awkward edge to it all- one that made me feel unsettled.

"Bree, you seem to be halfway there yourself," Chloe said without glancing up.

"I'm just," She let out a heavy sigh "I'm just happy to see the two of you getting along for once."

"We get along," I pointed the end of my utensil her way with accusation. The words didn't even sound believable coming out of my mouth. But the blonde didn't seem to care, instead, she just shook her head with little conviction.

"Good," she finally let out a sigh "Then you can help Chloe move into the apartment over the shop."

This time I did choke, the alcohol blurring the edges of my unhappy demeanor. The one thing I hated more than anything was moving. It was always hot and unbearable, and you woke up the next morning covered in grime with a thick ache running ramped. Chloe's new apartment was on a second floor- even better.

"Uh," The woman held up her hand "Before you object with that brooding charm of yours, I will be out of town that day with Jesse. We're heading mainland for a fitting."

Mainland. It sounded so odd. We were on a little strip of fishing town, not some ship bobbing up and down on choppy waves. Instead of speaking I pursed my lips and nodded reluctantly. Chloe was oddly silent through all of this, despite an angry fire under her gaze as she shot daggers at Aubrey.

 **The apartment was** small- tiny and unruly compared to Aubrey's big personality. It was really one large room with ridiculous floor to ceiling windows against one side- a little kitchen carved out from the side of the room by a marble-topped island. There was a slight hallway that branched off of the main area- one that contained a bathroom and a master bedroom- the other corner taken up by those wrought iron stairs that lead down to the bookstore.

I watched Chloe carefully as she knelt down to press the box she was carrying to the floor. She was dressed in a deep maroon tank top- a pair of yoga pants hugging the rest of her frame. It made my mouth dry- it was either that or the heat, I wasn't really sure. But the way the hem of her shirt rode up right where the fabric met was doing me no favors.

Her eyes flicked towards mine, a small smile pulling at the corners of her lips. "Bec's you can set that down. Your arms probably hurt."

My own stare moved down to the box that was in my grasp, I was running my fingers against the peeled tape absently, feeling where it wasn't so sticky anymore. My arms were sore, lips parted slightly as I bent myself, placing the box down next to a few others that we had pulled up into the area.

"You want some water?" She turned back to her project, "I'm sure I can dig up some cups somewhere."

"Sure," I mumbled, pushing my hand against the sweaty edge of hair that adhered itself to my forehead. I was panting, struggling to find my breath as I stared her down. "Haven chooses one day of the year to hit the high 90's."

"Oh, so I can't look forward to this nice weather all the time?" She straightened up, a bit of confusion pressing against her features as she planted her hands firmly on her hips. She rolled her shoulders, adjusting her neck as the sore edge from moving heavy objects took a toll on her body.

Banter. This was banter that I was sharing with Chole Beale. Unlike the first night, the two of us had shared in the bathroom at the bar. She wasn't in my face right now- not with the sexual tension that filled the small space before- but that shirt didn't help a thing.

I leaned heavily against the counter, watching carefully as Chloe flicked the faucet on and the liquid filled the cup. It was an odd noise, but not one unrecognizable. She slid one of them towards me before bringing her own to the brink.

She raised it to her lips, gulping down large quantities of water, a few drops running down her chin and collecting at her collarbone. I was staring through it all, so thirsty but not making a move for my own drink- my whole body was buzzing.

Ever since the boat, ever since she wrapped her arms around me when I was the most vulnerable, I almost craved her touch. The touch of someone who absolutely hated me for the most part- Chloe Beale was angry and snobby, and god, she wasn't the girl for me. But Right now. Right now I wanted her more than anything.

"Beca," She sounded out the hint of a smirk on her lips. "Is there a problem?"

"Yes," I drew in a shaky breath "I mean, no. Just tired."

She had the outline of a playful smirk on her lips, staring me down as she took her thumb and ran it along the edge of her lip, snapping her jaw shut. "Okay, if you're sure."

I wasn't. I wasn't sure about any of this. Part of me still wanted to scream at Chloe and confront her about the way she had changed her demeanor the moment she heard about the fire, the moment she learned about me- but I couldn't fault the girl. It was a lot, and I was a lot, but she was just right.

The way Chloe Beale had weaseled her way into my life was tolerable. It was something that I could handle as long as I kept my distance- but over the past month and a half, the two of us were constantly pitted together. And that. The way she was in my mind all the time with a turquoise gaze and soft smile was enough to quell emotions that I couldn't deter.

"Something you want to talk about?" She leaned heavily against the opposite end of the island- shivering as the cold granite pressed against flushed skin. She swallowed it down though, flicking her gaze against my body as she set the glass down.

I let out a small push of air, rolling my tongue over my bottom lip. I still hadn't pulled my own drink to them, but my fingers were shaky enough to decide against it. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," She waved me off with the quick flick of her palm in front of her face. "What's on your mind?"

"I don't understand you, Chloe." She pursed her lips as she raised a brow. She didn't' make a move to speak, so I continued "When we first met… _You hate me, right?_ "

She barked out a laugh, it was a mix between a snort and a chuckle. Either way, it made a frown crease my features. She thought this was funny? My agonizing war within caused her to smirk and become amused at the very thought of this conversation? I let out a huff, pushing away from the counter.

I didn't have much room to move before she wrapped her cold fingers around my wrist, a rough electric current shooting up my arm. "No, Beca, I'm not laughing at you."

"Right, you're laughing with me, then?" Chloe shook her head, gulping down a large breath of air as she adjusted her position at the counter. "I don't want you to be nice to me because you know about the fire, alright?"

A strange expression crossed her features. "You really think that's why I'm not being defensive?"

That clearly was out the window. Her body language shifted with great capacity. She had crossed her arms over her chest, constricting her jaw as I shoved the loose strands of hair to the side, walking around the large counter- I flipped the glass object over, letting the water wash down the sink as I felt sharp cerulean eyes dig into the back of my head.

"God, you are so insufferable sometimes." She hissed under her breath.

"I'm insufferable?" I whipped around, hearing my sneaker squeak loudly against the wooden floors. I almost jumped back at how close she was, that same heat in her stare as before. I jabbed my finger against her collarbone. "You're the one that's either 200 degree's hot or 2 degree's cold. Make up your damn mind, Chloe!"

I jabbed her again, this time she grasped my hand, squeezing it tightly. "Stop pecking me to death."

"What is it then, Chloe?" I said with sibilance "You hated me just fine before you knew. Do you feel bad for me, is that it?"

"Not everything is about you, Beca!" She shouted, shoving my hand away as she took a step forward. She was contradicting herself, another rough argument that the two of us shared as she came closer- I instinctively backed away, feeling the nave of my back against the cool stainless steel refrigerator. It shook.

"Do you ever think?" She asked, voice breathy as she placed her hand right above my shoulder, a look of anger in her eyes as sweat glistened close to her temple. Her voice was searing. "huh?"

"Then tell me why?" I growled, ignoring her statement.

"You make me feel _weird_." She relented, a hint of confusion flashing past blue iris's as she moved her gaze down to the ground for a split second. "I don't do weird. I do intimidating because fuck, Beca. You can't get anywhere in real estate if you're a woman- and you… you are so fucking rage inducing."

I inhaled sharply, her thoughts were all over the place. It made sense- her uptight personality was enough to put me off in the first place- but this? This fluctuation between anger and lust was like a game that I couldn't figure out. I didn't say anything, not finding my words.

"You're so broody, and I don't really think you know what a shower is- but damn it, Beca Mitchell"

She didn't give herself a chance to finish her thought before she roughly pressed her lips against mine- her touch stung as I let my whole body push roughly near the cold exterior of the object behind me. I was tense, not wasting much time as I raised my hands to her hair, tangling them in the sweaty mess as the whisper of a moan ripped through my throat.

She tasted like salt, salt and pure animalistic lust.

Chloe's teeth dug into my bottom lip, her other hand pushing into my side. I felt her touch near my ribs as she begged for entry- I granted it, feeling her tongue swipe against the roof of my mouth as she growled with rough tension. Tension that had finally broken.

" _Fuck_ , Chloe." I groaned, finally pulling away as I put the back of my head against the surface of the fridge. She was panting, knitting her eyebrows together. "What was that?"

She pulled away, wiping the back of her hand against her mouth as she struggled to quell a growl. "Whatever you want it to be."


	12. Chapter 12

**[A/n: DISCLAIMER THIS IS KINDA A FILLER CHAPTER. Also, please leave reviews, they really help keep me going!- Unholy Helbig]**

 **My fingers trailed** mindlessly over the length of Chloe's stomach, my palm resting easily on her soft skin as I honed into the sound of her beating heart. It was thumping just like the monitors in the hospital did- this time it was muffled by the sound of the older woman's breathing, it was low and soft. Soothing.

I was cuddled into her side, the same lethargic feeling that the two of us carried on the boat followed us here- tangled up in a mess of a base sheet, Chloe not having the time to put anything else on the mattress before I had pushed her down onto the plush edge hours before.

The sun was setting, and the room smelled of primal sex, my whole body pressed against hers as my head rested on her chest, a thin layer of white fabric wrapped around different areas of our bodies. Chloe silent as she stared up at the ceiling, biting the inside of her lip.

"Beca?" She whispered voice strangled.

"Hmm?" I asked, keeping my eyes closed as I snaked my arm around her middle, pulling her closer as my fingertips rested on her opposite hip.

"I've been incredibly unfair to you." She started, pressing the tips of her own fingers against the small of my back. I opened my eyes, raising my head to gaze up at her. She didn't' take her stare off the ceiling. "You said earlier that you thought I hated you."

"well, yeah" I pulled away slightly, leaning up on my elbow as I took a bundle of fabric with me, pressing it flush against my chest. "But you kind of ate shit on the docks. I don't blame you."

She scoffed at that, moving her sky stare to mine, a bit of amusement across her features. "I've taken harder falls," she mumbled "But that doesn't mean my behavior was excusable… I feel like I owe you an explanation."

I swallowed against the dry consistency in my mouth. This wasn't completely one-sided, we always seemed to be at each other's throats until just recently. The more I got to know the red-headed menace, the more I fell for her. Just like the first night we met- except without the heels and the crooked wooden walkway.

"You mean more than the vague statement that I make you feel weird."

"Well, you do" She huffed, turning on her side as she placed her arm under the cool edge of the pillow. It was folded up, allowing her to keep eye level with me. "I thought it was frustration at first, I really did, because you seemed like the type…"

She trailed off.

"The type to just coax through life?" I quirked an eyebrow, knowing that a girl working on the docks didn't look like she had many aspirations, especially when it came to a hot-shot realtor that was fresh off the boat.

"Not even that," She said, "I looked at you that first night and thought that you had it so easy, you know? It was like…" She adjusted her position, scrunching her little nose up in what I could only describe as adorable. "Haven is a different world. It's not like the city, and I took my frustrations out on you."

I nodded slowly, knowing not to interrupt her until she was finished.

"I think part of it was sexual frustration, but the other part was just me… me trying to figure out what I really wanted. I was just supposed to be here for a month tops, you know? But I kind of fell in love with this place." She glanced down at her hands "And spending time with you. Even if you sent me to the hospital"

"Hey, that was Amy," I raised my hands in defense, earning a playful glare "And so not the point."

"I just wanted to apologize, is all." She said carefully, "For revving you up like that. It wasn't fair to make assumptions."

I stared at her for a few moments. It hadn't been about how much I annoyed her at all, it was all about the way I made her contemplate throwing away her life in a much larger sense. I had been to the city more than once- but it was hectic, way more hectic than the small little fishing town that I called home. It was understandable, but not all her burden to carry.

 _"Revving me up?"_ I asked the hint of a smirk on my lips. It made a deep hue of blood collect at her cheeks, her smile more genuine that I had ever seen it. I was quick to adjust my position, slinging one knee over her mid-section as I straddled her, placing both hands on her collarbone as she shivered under my touch. She raised both of her eyebrows pointedly.

"You're ready for round two, I take it?" she chuckled, a light sound that shook the whole bed.

"Something like that" I smiled softly, dragging my nails flush against her skin, not pressing too hard. "And I understand, you know. I do. Making a big change like this is terrifying."

"It's not justification," She whispered against my lips as I lowered them close to hers, breathing in her scent.

"I was a bitch too, you know," I growled as she hummed into my embrace, tangling her fingers in my hair as she tugged lightly, eliciting a slight groan from my lips.

"Yeah, maybe." She husked, a small grunt moving past my throat as she snaked her arms around my waist, flipping me quickly as my head sunk into the pillow. She had me in a compromising position, one knee shoved against mine as she pushed right into my core, a sharp gasp sounding. "But It's sexy when you do it."

 **She paced across** the docks, boots making a loud an incorrigible noise against the wooden surface. The same cracked wooden surface that was damaged by the everlasting sun. Her arms were half-crossed, fingers pushing against her lips as the other arm draped across her chest.

"Chlo, you're making me dizzy," I mumbled, moving the edge of the wrench down towards the base of the Poseidon. It burned close to my palm, arm aching as I glanced up at her for a few seconds before returning back to my task.

"Sorry," She sighed "I just, we barely know anything about them, you know?"

"No, you barely know anything about them." I pointed out, sitting back on my heels slightly as I set the metal wrench down on the surface, a deep noise clashing with the ever-lapping waves that pushed near the shore. "I grew up with these people, and I'm telling you, a retreat is not their style."

"Uh huh" She shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans as she cocked an eyebrow my way. "And paintballing was?"

I was silent for a second, balancing the idea in my mind. Yeah, it wasn't the typical bachelorette party, but it could work. There was a spa on the far side of the island, one that leaked into a wilderness retreat that may be right up Aubrey's ally. She wasn't a typical bride, and neither were the girls she had chosen to line the alter with. "Fair point, Beale."

"Great," She beamed, causing me to roll my eyes despite myself. She was technically winning with this one, the air of competition still deep within us. It wouldn't subside until this wedding was over, that much was clear. "We still have a few things to discuss, though."

"Like?" I asked, standing as I raised my arms above my head. My back popped under the pressure of the strained movement. The t-shirt that carried the same docks sailboat logo road up at the edge of my sweatpants; Chloe swallowing thickly as she flicked her gaze longingly over the length of my body.

"Like that," She swirled her finger around in the air "That's not allowed."

"Stretching?" I asked deviously, knowing exactly what she was referencing.

Chloe took a step forward, wrapping her fingers around the lowest metal bar. It was hot from the constant exposure to the sun but she didn't seem to flinch away, instead, she gazed up at me, her eyes matching the very waves that were a few inches from the two of us. "We're keeping this quiet, remember?"

"I can't help my stiff joints." I shrugged innocently, squatting down once more as I almost pulled eye level with her, my knees close to her wrist as she shook her head slightly. "But yes, I remember."

The two of us had decided very quickly that it was better to stay silent about the moment we had shared; that electrifying feeling of her bare skin against mine was still lingering against my mind. It was just easier. For the sake of Aubrey and Jesse. For the sake of everything at this point.

"Are you uh," She fiddled with her words, raising up on her toes so she could pull herself closer. "You almost done here?"

"Just about," I grinned, tossing the wrench into the nearby red case, hearing the loud clank of metal against metal. "Why, have anything in mind, Miss Beale?"

"A few things."


End file.
